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A Scratchbuilt Frog Prince


RichO

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Houthis can be very, very sneaky, even with missile launchers.....Check this out:

 

 

Have to admit.....I kind of like 'em!  :ninja:

 

Without US & UK support, the Saudi offensive would probably have reached Riyadh by now.  :wicked:

 

PS - Shapeways have a few 1/24 small-arms that might be of use, not cheap though.  :unsure:

 

https://www.shapeways.com/product/LV9EM2A24/g36c-1-24-scale?optionId=61461428&li=marketplace

https://www.shapeways.com/product/UDSQ2MAWW/1-24-scale-avtomat-kalashnikova-ak-47-rifle-x-1?optionId=61061821&li=marketplace

 

 

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It sort of just crawls out of the dirt to let 'em have it.  Pete was down in the Riyadh area a few years ago, I wounder if he has any first hand experience with theses?

 

Shapeways has some really cool stuff.  Like you said, "not cheap though"

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On 6/14/2018 at 9:40 PM, Sgt.Squarehead said:

 

 

PS - That Black Duncan fella's been pushing highly addictive Modelcollect kits on me,

 

Too persuasive by far, he tried to ensnare me at the Northern model show but I resisted his whiles, mostly.

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Looks like you have a good stock of plastic sheet Rich or are you doing this out of card :think:, nice progress either way.

 

Regards

Richard

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Hey Richard,

  

Styrene sheet.  With this build, the largest sheet I work with is just 8 x 14 inches.  I have some large frame and launcher components, but I can get everything on sheets this size, with plenty of scrap left over for all the small items.  I also work with several different thickness.

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On ‎05‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 21:21, RichO said:

(thicker styrene always gives me a really hard time of it

 

and I thought it was just me …..

Seriously I also have problems cutting the thicker plastics. I would have gone the same way larger pieces I cut outside and sand back.

 

 

Keep up the good work

 

Kev

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Thanks for great comments guys!

 

  Hey All,

 

    The X- frame is slowly coming together.  I have installed the cross members with a small amount of detail added to the beams and also the bottom side web supports.

 

  The first step here is to do the final install finish and custom fitting into the correct location of the cross beams.  Even tho I take a bit of time finishing all the items involved, nothing is perfect here. 

  The side rails went together easy enough.  The trick was to try to keep everything square.  

 

NTp5EH.jpg

 

I got the install to the point at least, where it all looks and feels good.  Not that I'm a liberal at all....... not sure where that comment came from...

 

UgaqPu.jpg

 

Thanks again to Richard Ripaman, for the stolen idea of the model supports.

 

The bit of detail I wanted to add is the strength beads and rims.  Just to add to the visual tension when looking through the frame.

 

zBg33U.jpg

 

Flipping the frame over, I started the install of the strong webs.  Like all the parts, custom finished to the location...

 

5OHsQr.jpg

 

 

Sort of look a little wonky at this scale, but things look fine at full scale...

 

rwNR43.jpg

 

The next thing to detail are the X-beams, and install.   I'll be back with all the X factor stuff....

 

Thanks guys, Happy Looking.....

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Oh man.....I feel so proud of myself after I scratch-build a light guard.  :yahoo:

 

So I come here to get my perspective back!  :mellow:

 

Awesome work Rich, of a scale & complexity I can scarcely comprehend, but which I thoroughly enjoy following nevertheless!  :worthy:

 

PS - I've acquired yet another ballistic missile launcher since we last spoke.....This is entirely your fault you know!  :wicked:

 

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Way to go Sarge!  Big trucks with pointy thangs are great to build.  Mine has 10,000 parts, what's yours?

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3 hours ago, RichO said:

Mine has 10,000 parts, what's yours?

Rather less, I suspect.  ;)

 

In fact I would have to buy several more to even get close to that number.....Which I wouldn't entirely rule out.  :mental:

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9 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Rather less, I suspect.  ;)

 

In fact I would have to buy several more to even get close to that number.....Which I wouldn't entirely rule out.  :mental:

I've seen your stash, Sarge.  You have a sickness, that takes up half the room.  You know that if anything ever happens to your shelving and you get buried under that stash, we'll never see you again.

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Hey Guys,

 

  The Frog is starting to take shape.  The frame anyway.  I got the x-beams built and ready to install.  A bit more fine tuning and I'm ready to fit these into place permanently.

 

  I finished the little detail work and got things ready for the next step, and continued the beam work.

 

 

DdVBlZ.jpg

 

The X-members still need to be detailed in this photo, but you can see how thing will fit together.

 

vH6vaj.jpg

 

A sunny summer day to paint...

  This is a coat of Russian military green,  then a misting of rust.  You can see I painted the x-beams separately so I could get the paint into the creases.  I only stayed out side a few minutes,  85F / 29C.

 

62iksb.jpg

 

I thought I would try the salt technique to get the color change I wanted.  But, as you will see, the color went onto the project so subtle, the the salt technique was non visible.  So this was the only time I took a photo and after this I did not use this technique, no need.

 

sTlGkm.jpg

 

 

The weathered copper color looks a bit more intense out in the daylight, but I really like the color as a ground for the dirt and grease to come...

 

sXSkmj.jpg

 

Inside lighting, the color is not nearly as intense, but still shows the nice old copper color...

 

owGpRi.jpg

 

sFmqeM.jpg

 

Now I'll take this apart again to let it all set up for a day or so, then permanently install the X-beams.  Once I get these installed I will rust up the areas that I wont  be able to get to later on.  All the little creases and corners.  I'll have some close up photos of the weathered rust and junk next time.

 

  Thanks Everyone for looking......

 

 

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Smashing stuff Rich.  :coolio:

 

I've never had much luck with the salt technique, or the hairspray technique for that matter.  :confused:

 

Have some inspiration from Syria:

 

hwDz4N8VNZo.jpg

_DglViqo33g.jpg

bcENm-DYzwM.jpg

 

I'm really, really starting to want one of these now, but the 1/72 resin kit is a bit too scary (the cab's a horrible solid lump too).  :(

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Hey Guys,

 

  Just a quick posting. I thought I would post some photos of the rusting frame as I go along.  This is all going to get covered up and wont be seen again.

 

  After I painted the frame the green color, I started the rusting process.  This will be somewhat modest compared to the Maz build.  

 

  I start my rusting by building layers of color.  Like one of my gallery paintings, I start with a light wash of the various colors and let everything dry.

 

3WJ9RM.jpg

 

  Then I start to add the layers of rust and texture...These are drying on an open window sill.  

 

EOtQOb.jpg

 

You can see below on the section of frame, on the left, I have rusted the corners, and on the right, not yet, just my original stain.

 

QvLadQ.jpg

 

 

The rust is gettin' there...

 

VtGkuC.jpg

 

 

This is just about as much as I will do for this part of the frame.  When this all sets I will install the X-beams and then do the final weathering for this part of the frame.

 

MNeOoH.jpg

 

  Once I get the X-beams installed I will tighten up the rusting in the corners and then I want to add a light layer of dull coat to seal all this together.  Then a greasy pin wash layer of Black or maybe Raw Umber.

 

I'll be back with more frog romance later........Thanks All.

 

  

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Thanks for checking in guys!

 

 

Hey All,

 

  The frame detailing continues.............

 

59cGiv.jpg

 

I have the frame suitably greasy and oily...

 

icasRU.jpg

 

The shine dose not show so good here...but it looks grimy enough in person.....

 

3uxbG0.jpg

 

That's it for the frame for now.  It's time to move on.  I'm starting with the suspension parts first...

 

LS0CQl.jpg

 

I'll be back with more of the suspension system.

 

Thanks All..........

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Thanks for looking in everyone.

 

  Hey Guys,

 

  I have spent the last week or so building the central supports for the middle wheels.  These little things were a pain in the wheels.  As far as I can figure, the central wheels are mainly for support of the central portion of the frame.  I can not find any suspension components for these, and the rigid housings are bolted directly to the frame with no shock equipment anywhere.  I know that these inner wheels do have drive components built into them.  I'll build the drive components later tho.

 

  The first thing as always, the parts...

 

76mCgB.jpg

 

  There were a few more parts involved with these than I first thought.  Just cutting out the parts took days...

 

  Then I had to bolt everything together....

 

J6n8Pd.jpg

 

The wackiest part of this mini build was to get the styrene to bend around into this cone sort of shape.

 

7Cuge2.jpg

 

 I managed to get things bent into shape and bolted together...and starting the strength webs that are placed all around these little things...

 

wEkb3R.jpg

 

  I just had to build four of them.  With all the little strong webs and bolts, these had a a fair amount of parts each...

 

u78g1j.jpg

 

Fresh back from the paint shop...

 

rdVmOO.jpg

 

 

Fresh dirt and rust...

 

NUyfb9.jpg

 

 

I think the photo below is still wet paint...

 

2dZMnT.jpg

 

 

Now I have all four of the central supports installed.  The remaining components are attached to the inside of the wheels.  I'll build the wheel stuff later...

 

DIcqWc.jpg

 

The white styrene on the frame is where I have sanded the frame level...

 

 

KJXzHK.jpg

 

Greasy, grimy wheel mounts...

 

Xk8l7U.jpg

 

  Now that I have these installed, I want to move to the suspension components at the four corners.  However I need to install the front and back "bumpers" that will hold the open ends of the frame, closed and square.

 

  I'll be back with closing up the open ends of the frame next.

 

Thanks for looking and leaving comments all.........

 

 

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  'Bout Ye?

                                                                                                                                                          Closing up the open ends was a simple enough task.  The shapes are just flat sheet cut to shape.  Test fitting the size and shape below.

 

31vaHA.jpg

 

 

The bolt pattern secures the sheet metal to the frame...

 

GpzjZb.jpg

 

 

Fresh paint...

 

nbWLuY.jpg

 

 

The back frame closure is simple sheet also...

 

vBnwBl.jpg

 

 

Blending...

 

H1nmDg.jpg

 

 

 

SyTBcp.jpg

 

 

 

NSysQ3.jpg

 

Now that I have the ends closed I can move on to the corner suspension elements,  and there are a lot of parts to deal with.

 

  I'll be back later.........Thanks All.....

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Marvellous work as always Rich.....Those central suspension units are some cool little models in their own right, I'm impressed at how consistent you managed to make them.  B)

 

PS - Came within inches of pulling the trigger on the Armada Hobby 1/72 Frog-7.....Fortunately I had to go out and the sale ended while I was gone (but it didn't sell and he's relisted it).  ;)

 

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Thanks guys!

 

  It's been a wacky week trying to come to terms with how much cutting there seems to be with the corner suspension units.  I have a few parts that are 2mm thick and the rest are 1mm thick.  I needed to cut multiples of each to get the dimensions that I needed.  I was cutting 16 of some items to get everything correct.  The process of building the corner units is only about half way done.

 

  First thing, cut out the parts and bolt them together...

 

k3mU2v.jpg

 

cvH3kM.jpg

 

 

Parts and more parts....

 

ovBSSj.jpg

 

zT9pZ4.jpg

 

  After cutting and gluing all these items together, I had to test fit everything.  The test fitting is good and the parts move freely...

 

wmmTgR.jpg

 

 

  I see just now that I assembled the parts wrong, but will be rearranged when I install these.

 

  That's the report to date.  I am starting to work on the Shock Absorbers and Mounts at the moment.  Once I get all that finished this whole unit gets installed at the same time.  I'll be back with building and installing the rest of the corner units.

 

  Thanks All..........

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